I had read a lot of comments here and on other boards regarding this upcoming rifle. Well I got mine last week and finally got some Hornady factory ammo yesterday. While still at the shop I purchased a limbsaver pad (prefit for No.1) and we installed it right on the spot, pad fit perfectly but the bottom screw hole needed to be realigned about 1/8th inch. Rifles fit and finish was excellent. The wood is very nice and received several comments at the shop. The rifle balances perfectly, just slightly forward of the action. Trigger pull is clean and breaks nicely. I had heard a number of theories that due to its light weight this rig would kick like a mule. I admit to using a folded dish towel for shot number one which I just cranked off quickly to get a feel for the recoil. You can't imagine my relief that recoil was not only not bad, but with subsequent shots using only the limbsaver pad it was actually not even uncomfortable. The first two aimed shots that I took offhand were at about 20 yards and they both landed about 1/4 inch apart. This rifle really fits me well and truly points where I am looking. The larger/thicker pad helps with my LOP due to my "ape arms". I ultimately fired 12 rounds with the open sights at 20-25 yards and had a very respectable group and best of all, NO BRUISING! This rifle is definately a keeper.

BUT! its not perfect. The safety blocked EVERY SINGLE round from being ejected. The case length is such that when the rear of the case strikes the safety the front edge of the case has not even cleared the barrel yet. Ejected cases simply hit the safety lever and bounce halfway back into the chamber. I tried rotating the rifle onto both sides and gravity could not even help enough to get the case to fall free.

It is absolutely amazing to me that Ruger could market these as dangerous game rifles in magnum calibers, then let these rifles leave the factory knowing that you have to claw each empty case out of the action. This is a well documented problem that they apparently refuse to address. I will do like everyone else and just grind the leading edge of the safety but it will forever be a point of irritation for me. I have probably 25 ruger firearms and love them all but this is OUTRAGEOUS!